


Mirrors & Crossroads

by Lexigent



Category: Da Vinci's Demons
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode Tag: s02e08 The Fall From Heaven, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-27
Updated: 2016-02-27
Packaged: 2018-05-23 13:03:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 736
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6117280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexigent/pseuds/Lexigent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt, "You're not alone".</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mirrors & Crossroads

**Author's Note:**

  * For [meridian_rose (meridianrose)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/meridianrose/gifts).



This was where all of Leo's inventiveness had brought them: on an unknown beach, in a country many miles from home, folding up parachutes made out of cloth that really shouldn't have worked to break their fall but somehow did. 

Zo would have been a fool not to notice that there was something growing between Riario and Leo, though the precise nature of the attachment eluded him. Riario had been brave to follow them as far as he had, had sacrificed things he loved and cared about – but he was also the reason they were in this mess in the first place. 

He would have said as much to Leo, but lately he wasn't sure if Leo hadn't lost the ability to listen to him. 

"Maestro – he wishes to speak with you." Nico's words broke what was awkward between him and Leo, and Zo could only sigh and give Leo the space. Both him and Nico looked at the strange pair by the fire who were conversing in inaudible tones. 

Zo averted his eyes and stared out at the sea. 

"I'm sorry about what he did to you," he said, a propos of nothing, and Nico only nodded and flicked pebbles into the ocean. 

*** 

Leo listened with growing horror to Riario's story of killing his mother. There was so much there that was familiar in a way that almost caused him physical pain.  
"I wanted so badly to please my father," Riario got out through gritted teeth, and Leo had to work hard not to wince. _I know how that feels_ , he wanted to say, but thought better of it. His father might be careless; be cruel and dismissive towards him, even – but at least he'd never asked him to do anything even remotely horrible as that. 

He reached out, put a comforting hand on Riario's shoulder, and was rewarded with a wry smile. Somewhere behind his eyes were words that he could say, words that would make any difference at all, but he couldn't find them now. So he stayed silent for a long moment. Riario didn't shift away from his touch. Leo looked from him to Zo and Nico and back again, tried again with the words and finally gave up, patted Riario on the shoulder and stood. Riario nodded in acknowledgement of whatever had just passed between them, and that's when Leo saw the ship and bone-deep relief eclipsed all other emotions. 

*** 

Leo couldn't hide his surprise when Riario announced his intention of going back to Rome. That plan was self-annihilation, but looking at Riario's face, he almost suspected Riario was well aware of that. Once upon a time, Leo would have had no qualms in letting him go to it, but what they had been through had changed things.  
"Maybe it's what I deserve for worshipping false idols," Riario said and turned away, but Leo snatched at his jacket and he turned again, seemingly genuinely surprised.  
It really was like looking in a mirror sometimes. One with a dark glass and more than a few cracks, but a mirror nonetheless.  
"You have a choice here," Leo said, trying to get his mind to slow down so his mouth could speak the words at an intelligible pace. "It may not seem like it, you maybe think this is the only path open to you, but – but it isn't." 

Riario cocked his head. His face softened around the eyes. 

"Thank you, artista." Riario nodded, then turned around. 

_And what the heck am I to make of that now,_ Leo wanted to ask, when he heard Riario say, "I shall give it some more thought."  
And with that, he disappeared. 

Leo sighed. Not outright acceptance, but not outright dismissal of his offer either. He went back to puzzling over the gears of the brazen head. Yes, it looked a disaster at the moment, broken apart as it was into its pieces, but what Riario didn't credit was that Leo could put anything back together that he'd disassembled himself, and sometimes things he'd found broken. As long as he could make a plan. Their travels had pulled Riario apart, that much was evident, but without a working knowledge of what would help in putting him back together, Leo could but try. Time would tell whether the guess had been correct, but for now, he could be secure in the knowledge that he'd done all he could.


End file.
